Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Williams Jr.
Eric, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey primarily started when I was in high school, I wasn’t sure on what I wanted to do post high school into college so it would lead to be just taking a lot of random classes and one of those was TV production.
It was one of the things I really enjoyed during my time in high school, making videos with my friends working on projects like music, videos, and PSA’s and commercials all usually comedy based.
Going into college, I really didn’t know what to do or where to go, but I knew I had to go to college which led me to Prince George’s community college. It was a good middle ground for me trying to figure things out and affordable for my family. While there, I primarily only did general courses for a few years up until I found out that there was a mass media program which focused around television radio, and film classes. I did a few projects here and there and learned a lot, but not enough to be honest. My last few years at the college was unfortunately spent during the Covid pandemic so I missed out on a lot of hands-on experience, virtual learning was the only option but how do you teach someone virtually how to work in a TV
studio and get familiar with equipment and techniques?
During my time in college, I’ve primarily worked part-time at Coach outlet in the stockroom for five years from 2017 to 2023 open until I was offered a job at Prince George’s community television.
Around 2022 I started interning at Prince George’s community television. A mutual friend of mine connected me with the program director and thought that it would be a great opportunity for me to grow my skills since I missed out on a lot of valuable information and experience after graduating during the pandemic. after interning there for about six months, I was offered a part-time position as a part of the production team and the news department serving as a production assistant and specialist and news videographer.
Around the same time I was introduced to Kevin Watkins owner of SDL creative Studios. During this time is when I got to do a lot of event videography, but I was very new to it. I didn’t have any equipment of my own, but I at least had the basic skills and knowledge of how to shoot a video and put it together. I was very nervous doing my first few jobs I would tend to get anxious and nervous but people like Kevin my other coworkers, Bryan and Anthony believed in me and we try to push me so I stuck with it.
Working at Prince George’s community television has also given me the opportunity to produce and host my own show pop culture showdown. A show where I talk about movies,comic books, video games, anime and other pop culture media. It is allowed me to express my myself and create my own platform.
Currently now I’m still working at Prince George’s community television, producing and hosting my show, serving as a news videographer going out and working those stories ranging from politics, crime, and lifestyle stories. I still currently work with SDL creative Studios as one of the lead videographers, shooting weddings, parties, private events, and podcast. I have one multiple communicator and Telly awards for my work at Prince Georges community television both for my show pop culture showdown, and for news packages that I have shot.
Looking towards the future, I hope to be able to work at a production studio, shooting interviews every day, going out to local businesses or meeting interesting people or shooting more high profile events or even sports. Also, at some point, I wish and hope to take my show to the next level and possibly be on TV one day doing it every day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of the struggles I’ve faced along the way have been challenging at times. If I had to point out a few, it would definitely be the time that I spent in college where I kind of felt directionless. I felt like at one point I was just taking classes just to take them and even when I found out about the math media program and I got to take several classes related to television, radio and film I struggled to pass other classes like math courses and when I finally got to go to classes like TV production or course other media courses the pandemic happen and it’s shut down the campus so I passed my classes, but I learned almost a little to nothing and I felt like I almost wasted my time.
Well, working with SDL early on I didn’t have any equipment so I would have to borrow and try to figure out if I can find a way to use someone’s equipment for whatever job that I had taken, which was a struggle. I never like to agree to do things that I know I can’t pull over or I know I can’t commit to so sometimes having to just say yes to take the job and figure things out later has been a stressful experience.
Lastly, another challenge, I faced is being a one man show when it comes to my show pop culture showdown I’m the one who produces it edit it, and even host it. Sometimes it’s very hard for me to sit down and focus and try to think of things to do or plan things out for the show because I do the show at work so at any given time I could be sitting down planning things and have to run out and shoot a news story or shoot another production in the studio at work or edit something else. I sometimes can’t do my show because of scheduling with guests or conflicts with other productions in our studio so it can get frustrating when it feels like I’m the only one trying to put this thing together and nothings working out.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a freelance videographer and videographer. I’m mainly specialized in shooting events from weddings to parties and even podcast, also shooting and putting together a new story.
to answer both questions I’m known for and was sent apart from others is my sharp visual eye. i’ve been told that when people have watched me work they see that I notice a little nuances and have a sharp like keen eye for things naturally, I pick up on things visually when I’m filming anything really.
I’m also known for my attention to detail and quality anything I do. I wanna make sure that it’s quality Work even the things that I just kinda put together last minute because I think that speaks volumes to who you are.
I’m actually most proud of two things, one is how far I’ve come these last few years from someone who had never done weddings or other news stories, I’ve gone from doing none of that to winning awards for it and having projects that I do get millions of views.
The second thing that I’m proud of is the growth and success that my show pop culture showdown has reached. It’s allowed me to combine both my passions, videography, and of course nerd stuff.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up was much normal for me. I had both my parents in my life who were very good to me. Help raise myself and my two younger sisters well. I think both had influencers on me as I grew up in different ways before the most part. I always was a mild mannered kid, was the fan biggest fan of school but I made it through.
In terms of my personality, I’ve always been a very chill type of person, sarcastic at times funny, very big on making people laugh and being a big goofy. Going into a lot of things that I used to watch, including movies, wrestling, cartoons, Star Wars things of that nature kind of shape me today I would watch a lot of things and imitate character, characters or take little visual cues from a lot of things from my favorite shows..
I kinda also learned to be a hard worker for my family. Mainly my grandparents, dad and mom. Which has always stuck with me, just the belief of working hard and going and doing the job that needs to be done no matter what and good things will happen. Seeing both my parents sometimes struggle at times with Work, but no matter what they always made. sure that we were taken care of and even though they may complain, they never were unprofessional.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sdlcreativestudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urcc_video?igsh=M2E5cmVvYjZkMjBh&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-williams-jr-475928210?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@urccreviews3863?si=UxJLuxF90h3VMSh7
